Balanced Rotary Engine

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a balanced rotary engine consisting of a rotary engine comprising tangential pistons which improve engine performance, facilitate the lubrication of the engine components, enable the use thereof at high revolutions and condition same for two-stroke operation with full use of the combustion chamber, even with mixtures (diesel cycle) which explode spontaneously upon reaching high compressions with a suitable volume. According to the invention, the components are structured such that (i) the engine can also be self-powered and (ii) the air or mixture is drawn directly from the rear of the cylinder and, subsequently, injected into the combustion chamber of said cylinder or of the cylinder adjacent thereto.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present specification relates to a balanced rotary engine consisting of a rotary engine comprising tangential pistons which improve engine performance, facilitate the lubrication of the engine components, and enable the use thereof at high revolutions. The components are structured such that the engine can also be self-powered and the air or mixture is drawn directly from the rear of the cylinder and, subsequently, injected into the combustion chamber of said cylinder or of the cylinder adjacent thereto, and they condition same for two-stroke operation with full use of the combustion chamber, even with mixtures (diesel cycle) which explode spontaneously upon reaching high compressions with a suitable volume.

2. Description of the Related Art

Two-stroke engines developed until now consist of the use of nozzles for the intake of the burning agent-fuel, which are made in the cylinder, which considerably reduces the effective chamber, the mixture inlet time, scavenging and compression of the engine, therefore it loses effectiveness and is not suitable for the use of mixtures which explode spontaneously.

Likewise, rotary engines consisting of tangential pistons currently under development have the opposing pistons coupled to the same gudgeon or journal of the crankshaft by means of which movement of the internal elements (pistons, connecting rods and pivoted lever) is not symmetrical during the rotation of the assembly, causing vibration-generating loads. In the same way, these are housed in a single chamber, making their lubrication difficult when the agent used for this purpose moves to the outside thereof driven by centrifugal force.

The applicant, who is a person skilled in the art, is not aware of any self-powered balanced rotary engine like the one described below.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The self-powered balanced rotary engine object of the present invention is herein described to palliate, or where applicable eliminate, the drawbacks discussed above.

In the present invention, the pistons of each cylinder are coupled to a gudgeon of the crankshaft that is shifted the same number of degrees as the pistons and the chamber containing the inner elements is divided into several sealed compartments, a central compartment housing the crankshaft and the grooved part of the pivoted lever, and another outer chamber for each cylinder, with the piston, connecting rod and outer part of the pivoted lever separated by the rotating shaft thereof. This arrangement allows the individual powering of each cylinder subsequently facilitating the possible use thereof for two-stroke operations with a self-powering possibility.

Balancing of the engine is obtained by means of coupling the pistons of each cylinder to a gudgeon of the crankshaft that is angularly shifted the same number of degrees as the pistons, such that all the elements shifting therein during the rotation thereof maintain a homogenous distribution of masses.

Since the chambers are separated, the self-powering of the engine consists of the air or mixture being drawn direction from the rear of the cylinder compressed during the return of the piston, and subsequently injected in the combustion chamber of said cylinder or of the cylinder adjacent thereto.

The rotation of the block further favors the dissipation of heat generated during combustion.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description being made and for the purpose of aiding to better understand the features of the invention a set of drawings is attached to the present specification as an integral part thereof in which, with an illustrative and non-limiting character, in reference to both the proposed rotational directions and the dimensions of the different elements, in which the following has been shown:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a balanced engine comprising tangential pistons with two cylinders arranged at 180°, carried out according to the object of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a balanced engine comprising tangential pistons with four cylinders having an arrangement equal to the previous one. The pistons of the opposing cylinders act on equally opposing gudgeons of the crankshafts and in this case each gudgeon is actuated by two pivot levers but they also maintain the balance of masses.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a three-cylinder engine which, being that there are an odd number thereof, must be balanced as a group, so since they are arranged at 120° with respect to one another, their pistons act correlatively on three gudgeons also moved 120° to maintain the balance of masses and stability during the rotation thereof.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a self-powered balanced engine comprising tangential pistons having two cylinders arranged at 180°, which injects the burning agent or mixture into its own cylinder and in the expansion phase (4A) with the block rotating to the left and the crankshaft to the right. FIG. 4B shows the engine when the expansion has ended and the intake has started.

FIG. 5 shows a self-powered balanced rotary engine comprising four cylinders with the same features as the previous one and two pivot levers in each gudgeon.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a self-powered balanced rotary engine comprising four cylinders in which the burning agent or mixture is injected in the adjacent cylinder.

FIG. 7 shows a sequence of the operation of the self-powered balanced rotary engine with the previous features.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-section view of a self-powered balanced rotary engine with two cylinders.

FIG. 9 shows the design and actuation of a mechanism actuating the intake valve for a self-powered engine injecting the air in the adjacent cylinder.

FIG. 10 shows a plan view of the cylinder head and the rocker with the opening through which the rod shifts.

V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As can be seen in the attached drawings, there are two preferred embodiments for the balanced rotary engine. The first embodiment shows a balanced rotary engine (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) whereas the second embodiment shows a self-powered balanced rotary engine (FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10).

In the balanced rotary engine, the pistons (11) (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) are coupled by means of their connecting rods (12) and the pivoted lever (13), to a gudgeon (14) of the crankshaft (15), which is shifted the same number of degrees ads the cylinders (16), thus obtaining in its linear alternative shifting during the rotation of the assembly (the block with these elements rotates in one direction and the crankshaft in the other) that they remain permanently balanced, either due to the opposite one or as a whole, in the case of an engine with an odd number of cylinders (FIG. 3). This arrangement allows coupling (FIG. 2) two pistons (11) to the same gudgeon (14) of the crankshaft (15) provided that the aforementioned conditions are maintained. The crankshaft (15) and the grooved part of the pivoted lever (13) are located in a chamber in the central part, separated from the outer ones by the rotating shaft (17) of this lever (13), enabling their individual lubrication with the oil accumulated therein, whereas the pistons (11), connecting rods (12) and the outer part of the pivoted lever (13) can be carried out with different means; in the case of a two-stroke operation with oil added to the fuel and in other cycles injected directly in this area, or by enabling controlled passage from the central chamber (by centrifugal force) and subsequently recovering it thereto by means of a pump provided for such purpose.

In the embodiment as a self-powered balanced rotary engine (FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10), the air or mixture is drawn directly from the rear of the cylinder (26), compressed during the return of the piston (21) and subsequently injected into the combustion chamber of said cylinder or of the cylinder (26) adjacent thereto. The air or mixture (FIGS. 4 and 5) is drawn by the piston (21) during the forwards shifting through the check valve (28) from the rear chamber of the cylinder, compressed during the return of the cylinder, and injected in the combustion chamber through the duct (29) and the valve (210) controlled by a mechanism actuated by the shaft (211) connecting the connecting rod (22) to the pivoted lever (23): this shaft has a bearing (212) coupled thereto in its inner part which in its backwards shifting attacks the profile (213), making it rotate, and which, by means of the cam (214) it has coupled thereto in the outer part of the rotating shaft, acts on the rod (215) moving the rocker (216) and opens this intake valve, scavenging all the gases that are exiting through the nozzle (217) and fills the chamber for a new combustion. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the same process, but in this case the burning agent or mixture is injected into the chamber of the adjacent cylinder (26), the bearing (212) has been substituted with a blade (221) which acts directly on the valve by means of a profile with a rocker coupled to its shaft. The mechanisms for controlling the opening of the intake valve can be substituted by another system, such as those currently used consisting of gears or pulleys actuated directly by the crankshaft.

FIG. 7 shows the sequence of movements of a self-powered balanced rotary engine with two cylinders. In a first situation (FIG. 7A), the cylinder 6′ is in a compression and intake phase, the intake being from its rear, and cylinder 6″, which belongs to another body, is in the expansion phase. In sequence 7B, cylinder 6′ completes the compression and 6″ is still in the expansion phase. In sequence 7C, cylinder 6′ is reaching the end of its run, the blade actuates the profile opening the intake valve of cylinder 6″ and the burning agent or mixture compressed by cylinder 6′ enters the intake chamber, and the exhaust nozzle is partially open so as to facilitate scavenging, and cylinder 6″ begins the compression phase. In sequence 7D, cylinder 6′ completes the expansion phase and the blade releases the profile, the intake valve of cylinder 6″ closes when the exhaust nozzle is already closed and continues with its compression phase.

FIG. 8 shows that the piston (21) is provided with a skirt (218) so as to prevent the rear chamber of the cylinder from coming into contact with the exhaust nozzle (217) during the forward run thereof. The fuel intake is provided for through the front shaft (219) and said fuel can be injected directly into the combustion chamber for diesel cycles, into the intake duct (29) or into the inlet of the burning agent through the check valve (28). This valve (28) can be a rotating valve, a reed valve, a spring valve or a valve controlled by a mechanism similar to those previously described.

FIG. 9 shows a detail of the design and actuation of the mechanism actuating the intake valve for a self-powered balanced rotary engine injecting the burning agent or mixture into the adjacent cylinder. The roller (212) has been substituted by the blade (221), integral with the shaft (211) for connecting the connecting rod with the pivoted lever, and acts on profile (213), joined by a shaft to the rocker (216) which opens the intake valve. In FIG. 9A, the blade (221) reaches the profile (213) and shifts it upwards, generating the rotation of its shaft and of the rocker (216) which is transmitted to the intake valve, opening it. When it reaches the end of the run, the blade (221) releases the profile (213) and the rocker (216) recovers its position, driven by the spring of valve (210). In FIG. 9B, the blade (221) reverses the movement and attacks the profile (213) at its upper part, rotating the rocker (216) in the opposite direction and when it is released, the rocker returns again to its support position on the valve (210) due to the action of the spring (220). The head of the pivoted lever with the shaft (211) of the pivoted lever (23) and the blade (221) can be seen in FIG. 9C, whereas profile (213) and rocker (216), which actuates the valve (210) can be seen in FIG. 9C.

Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention as well as a way of carrying it out to practice, it is necessary to state that the intervention may undergo certain variations in shape and in materials provided that said alterations do not substantially change the features which are claimed below. 

1. A balanced rotary engine consisting of an explosive engine comprising tangential pistons, a mechanism contained in a single chamber between two mechanically joined circular pieces, rotating in one direction and engaged with a crankshaft with rotation in the opposite direction, wherein the pistons act on the outer arm of a pivoted lever which pivots about a shaft, and with the other arm they carry a crankshaft with a single gudgeon which slides through a groove therein, essentially characterized in that in this mechanism with two or more pistons (11 or 21), each one acts on a gudgeon (14 or 24) of the independent crankshaft (15 or 25), angularly shifted from the other gudgeons the same number of degrees as the cylinders (16 or 26), and another group of cylinders consisting of the same number thereof can be added in any angular position with respect to the previous ones but which will have the same angular position with respect to one another so that their pistons can act on the same gudgeons as the previous group. This improvement is for the purpose of enabling balancing of the assembly during the rotation thereof.
 2. A balanced rotary engine consisting of an explosive engine comprising tangential pistons, characterized in that the crankshaft and the grooved arms of the pivoted levers actuating the gudgeons are located in a sealed central chamber separated from the rear chambers of each cylinder by the shaft on which the pivoted lever pivots for the purpose of facilitating lubrication of each element and improving the two-stroke operation thereof.
 3. A balanced rotary engine according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it can operate in two or four-stroke cycles.
 4. A balanced rotary engine according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the air or mixture is drawn from the rear chamber of the cylinder in the forward run of the piston through a check valve (28), compressed during the return thereof and injected into the combustion chamber of the cylinder through a duct (29) and a valve (216) controlled by a mechanism with a rocker (213), a cam (214) and rod (215) actuated by the shaft for joining the connecting rod (22) to the pivoted lever (23), after the combustion the gases exit to the exterior by a nozzle (217) made in the rear part of the chamber, in two-stroke operation with controlled or spontaneous explosion.
 5. A balanced rotary engine according to claim 4, characterized in that the intake valve (216) is actuated by gears or a belt and cam or other conventional mechanisms. 